Radio Flyer M880 Review | BikeRide.com

[BRScott]

Hello everyone!

I am super excited to be sending out this first post to the community, I just sent out an intro in another thread but if you have not had a chance to read it yet let me introduce myself.

My name is Scott, I'm a bike-obsessed videographer and photographer from B.C Canada and will be sharing some great new reviews on eBikes and bikes on the market today!

Working together with the team here at BikeRide.com we have developed new reviews that will be coming out on a regular basis for our community. We aim to bring you solid, unbiased information on different bike models currently for sale in the US market. The goal is to let you experience different bikes, and gain an understanding of the ideal purchaser and use so you know when it's new bike day for you, you're gonna love the ride.

https://www.bikeride.com/flyer-m880/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-_Py6HTx4A

We have the first review posted for the Flyer M880 Cargo Bike and I wanted to reach out to the community here for feedback. What is important to you as a viewer in future episodes? Did we miss something or is there some footage you would like to see? A detail we should talk about next time? We are already working on improving and providing the best information and content so what could we do better? Or hey if you love the review I want to hear that too!

If you have a chance to read the review on BikeRide.com, or watch the review I would love to hear your feedback and comments. Drop me a PM or comment on this post, or the YouTube video and I will get back to you ASAP.

Thanks for your time, I'm super excited to be sharing this information and will get a chance to bring you a ton of content so I'll have my ear open for what you want to see and hear!

[Lemon]

Scott, thank you for this new "corner" of bikeride community. The price of the M880 seems pretty attractive as compared to similar bikes ... any idea why so? I might consider getting a cargo bike soon due to having a family with youngsters.

[BRScott]

Hey Lemon, happy to assist!

The price of the unit is pretty attractive, especially since it is now at 1299.00 on the website it seems.

As for why the price is low, I think $1299.00 is a good price for what you are getting. It is missing some items like hydraulic brakes, and the included light is wanting if night riding will be in the cards.

Having said that, what you do get with the flyer are solid entry-level components, a Shimano shifter, levers and a cassette and although they are mechanical the brakes are Tektro so a good brand.

Now I can not determine the motor manufacturer or controller used, so this could be a weak spot. I did note while the 500W motor got me up some steep hills it is not as powerful as other motors I have tried, and it seemed to struggle with repetitive hills. While the bike is fine to pedal it's not the most efficient and is very heavy. The acceleration is not as good as other e-bikes I have ridden, and it does seem to falter at max speed, dropping 1-2 mph and then picking it back up. If you are planning on riding for good distances at max speed you may find this frustrating compared to other bikes as it seems to be a signature trait of the motor or controller programming.

Slow to accelerate and lacking torque, are my biggest complaints from me. Aside from that, it is large and heavy with no suspension so definitely keep that in mind. You may be able to find a lighter bike or one with a suspension fork for the same price range.

Now cargo capacity and battery life (Samsung cells and large capacity) are excellent, and it is a pleasure to ride when under power other then that max speed falter. I would recommend it for first-time e-bikers, or those who want to carry out the cargo carrying and use it on a more recreational basis as opposed to a daily commuter. I feel experienced riders who know what they want in a bike may be left wanting from its performance in specific areas, or daily commuters who need to stick with traffic will want more power.

But as far as value goes the bike is good value, it's well-built and the components are solid entry-level. All around it's a good option for the money IMO and I enjoyed testing it. Having been able to ride a lot of e-bikes now I don't know if I would choose it for me (performance), but it's hard to beat at the price point for reliability it seems.

Hope that helps! I've got some other commuter/Cargo bikes coming up so stay tuned.

[Lemon]

(12-20-2022, 11:58 PM)BRScott Wrote:  Hey Lemon, happy to assist!

The price of the unit is pretty attractive, especially since it is now at 1299.00 on the website it seems.

As for why the price is low, I think $1299.00 is a good price for what you are getting. It is missing some items like hydraulic brakes, and the included light is wanting if night riding will be in the cards.

Having said that, what you do get with the flyer are solid entry-level components, a Shimano shifter, levers and a cassette and although they are mechanical the brakes are Tektro so a good brand.

Now I can not determine the motor manufacturer or controller used, so this could be a weak spot. I did note while the 500W motor got me up some steep hills it is not as powerful as other motors I have tried, and it seemed to struggle with repetitive hills. While the bike is fine to pedal it's not the most efficient and is very heavy. The acceleration is not as good as other e-bikes I have ridden, and it does seem to falter at max speed, dropping 1-2 mph and then picking it back up. If you are planning on riding for good distances at max speed you may find this frustrating compared to other bikes as it seems to be a signature trait of the motor or controller programming.

Slow to accelerate and lacking torque, are my biggest complaints from me. Aside from that, it is large and heavy with no suspension so definitely keep that in mind. You may be able to find a lighter bike or one with a suspension fork for the same price range.

Now cargo capacity and battery life (Samsung cells and large capacity) are excellent, and it is a pleasure to ride when under power other then that max speed falter. I would recommend it for first-time e-bikers, or those who want to carry out the cargo carrying and use it on a more recreational basis as opposed to a daily commuter. I feel experienced riders who know what they want in a bike may be left wanting from its performance in specific areas, or daily commuters who need to stick with traffic will want more power.

But as far as value goes the bike is good value, it's well-built and the components are solid entry-level. All around it's a good option for the money IMO and I enjoyed testing it. Having been able to ride a lot of e-bikes now I don't know if I would choose it for me (performance), but it's hard to beat at the price point for reliability it seems.

Hope that helps! I've got some other commuter/Cargo bikes coming up so stay tuned.

Hi Scott!
I did not thank you for providing such a nice reply.
Have you noticed any worthy newcomers in the electric cargo bike market since your review of Flyer M880?

[ichitan]

This bike looks like a strong bike that a heavy rider could ride. It has a strong frame, steel rims, and thick spokes, if they did not make a mistake with the information they provided.

However, the weight limits they specify are not very heavy.
Max Rider capacity 220 lbs = 99kg
Rear rack capacity 80 lbs = 36kg
Front Storage capacity 25 lbs = 11kg
Payload capacity 300 lbs = 136kg
I believe the payload capacity refers to the combination of rider and load they are carrying on the bike.

The weak link is likely to be the weight the rear hub motor axle can take.

It would be a smart move to make a pedal only version, that is not electric. A bike like that should be able to carry a rider of 150kg, which is 50% more than they specify. They could make the rider and load capacity 200kg, provided the bike is well made. Be aware, when carrying heavy loads high on a bike, it becomes difficult to balance the bike.

They could then market this as a bike for heavy riders.

They could use the same frame. They could convert the battery space to frame storage. A freewheel hub, with cartridge bearings, and a good axle, can take a lot of weight. They would need strong tires.

I know bike companies specify quite light weight limits, to avoid warranty claims.

[Jesper]

(01-15-2024, 07:21 AM)ichitan Wrote:  I know bike companies specify quite light weight limits, to avoid warranty claims.

Do you have an authoritative reference to this statement? E.g. document from a bike company.